Ribbon-feeding mechanism for typewriting machines



Jan. 19 192s. 1,570,220

E. B. HESS ET AL RIBBON FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TYPEVIRITING IACHINBS il pril 30 1925 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. B. HESS ET AL nnmou FEEDING mncnmusm FOR wrmnme mcumzs Filed April 50, 925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EtBJbas 12.6.

Patented Jan. 19, 19 26.

EDWARD B; HESS, or NEW YORK, ,AND LEWIS c1 MYERS, or rn'nnr'oirr, ivr'w'ronn,

ASSIGNQRS T0 ROYAL TYPEWRITER COMPANY, 11 10;, 015 NEW YORK, N; Y1, A cori- PORATION 'OF NEW YORK.

RIBBON-FEEDING MECHANISM Fen TYPEWRITiNG MAerrI-NE-s.

Application filed April 30,1925. Serial No. 26,878;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known. that we, EDWARD B. Huss, a citizen of the United States, and resident of thecity, county, and State of New York, and LEWIs G. Mrnns, a citizenof the United States, and resident of F reeport, in

the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ribbon-Feeding. Mechanism for Typewriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for feeding the ribbon step by step upon the actuation of a type key. An object of the invention is to provide such devices which shall be simple and. efficient in construction and will lend'themselves particularly to usein a small compact machine. The invention is illustrated in connection with aportable Royal typewriter but is not necessarily lllll'r ited in its applicationthereto.

A further object of the invention isthe provision of means carried by the=type segment for supporting the ribbon spool shaft, the ribbon driving shaft, the automatic reverse'mechanism and other features of the ribbon mechanism. Further objectsof the invention will beapparent from the following detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawings: 7

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of the machine taken in: front of the ribbon spools with parts in elevation.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is 'a plan View taken substantially on the line 33 of'Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a section taken on theline 4- of Figure 3.

The typewriting machine as illustrated includes a frame A, type bar segment B, type guideC, ribbon vibrator D and the other. usual instrumentalities of a typewriting machine. So far as our invention is concerned, these parts may be of any desired character. Ribbon spools E are enclosed in cups F and mounted on shafts 1 which are supportedin offset arms 2 and 3 of a bracket 4 which is attached to the type bar segmentiB. Fastened to the lower end of each shaft 1 is a bevel gear 5 with one'ofwhich gears meshes a beveledgearb at theriglit handend'of'the machine and with the other of which meshes a similar bevelled gear 7 at the other side of the machine, this gearf'a'cing in opposite dinecting rod 1 6. Eachtype key lever has a rearward end 17. which underlies the rod 16. It is therefore apparent that on each depressionv ofaprinting key the upward motionimparted to the rod 16 will rock the universal frame and move the pawl ll forward, giving a step movement to the ratchet wheel 10 and thereby turning one or the other of the gears 5 and the ribbon spool shaft to which itis fastened. Each key lever is fulcrumed on a: shaft 19 and extends through a guide comb 20. This comb also guidesthe pawl 11 in itsreciproc'ating movements and a spring 21 attached at one end to said pawl and-at its. other end to; an ear on the guide. comb holds the pawl in. engagement withthe ratchet wheel 10.. Theholding pawl 22 also engages the ratchet wheel and this pawl is mounted on the pivot rod 19'and isalso guided by the comlrQO.

Near theright hand side of the. machine the shaft Sisprovide'd with a collar23 which has two grooves therein separated by a sharp pointed-ridge. In these grooves engages the nose 2 10f apawl member pivoted at 25 on anear 26 offset from the arm 9 of the bracket 4;. Toan upwardly extending arm28 of the pawl is attached one end of a spring 27, the other end ofwhich is attached to'an ear on the member 26. This spring tends-normally to hold the pawl 24in one or the other of the grooves of the collar 23 and thus retain the shaft 8 in one or the other of its longitudinal positions.

There is also illustrated herein and will be briefly described, a ribbon reversing mechawhich is engaged after the ribbon is nearly unwound from the spool, by a projection 30 on the ribbon. This ribbon guide is longitudinall i slidable on a bracket member 31 offset from the bracket 4: and is connected at 32 t0 the upwardly extending arm 33 of a bell crank lever 34- oivoted at 35 to a projecting ear of the bracket 4.. The short arm 37 of this bell crank lever has a pin 38 which works in a slot 39 in the upper end of a slidable member s0 and the arm 38 is connected to the member 40 by a coiled spring 41. This member 40 is guided in the lower portion 42 of the frame and has a pawl d3 adapted to be brought into engagement with a multiple toothed worm member 44 on the shaft 8.

It is obvious that when the sliding member 29 is moved by engagement of the project-ion 30 of the ribbon therewith, the bell crank lever 34 will be rocked, lifting the sliding member 40 by the spring tl. As the pawl L3 is brought into engagement with the multiple toothed worm 44:, continuing rotation of the shaft will cause an endwise movement thereof and as soon as the pawl 2d rides up out of one groove in the member 23, it will snap over suddenly into the other groove, affording a sudden endwise movement of the shaft 8 from the position shown in Figure 1 to a position in which the gears 5 and 7 will be in mesh while the gears 5 and 6 will be unmeshed. Subsequent rotation of the shaft 8 will therefore afford a feeding movement of the ribbon in the opposite direction. The shaft 8 is provided at its outer ends with finger pieces &5 by which the shaft may be manually rotated to feed the ribbon from one spool to the other or may be manually moved endwise for the purpose of reversing the ribbon feed at any desired time.

It is believed that the operation of the mechanism constituting this invention will be clear from the above description. It is to be noted that the drawings show certain portions of the typewriting machine which are not described and claimed as they have no particular relation to the invention. They are merely illustrated to show the relation of the ribbon mechanism to the other portions of the machine and the compact arrangement of the parts. It is obvious that various detail changes may be made in the precise embodiment of the invention without in any way departing from the spirit thereof. The invention is therefore to be regarded as limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:'

1. Ribbon feeding mechanism for typewriting machines have a guide comb for the key levers, said mechanism comprising a driving shaft, a ratchet wheel thereon, a universal bar frame having an upstanding arm and actuated by the rear ends of the key levers, a pawl pivoted to said arm and engaging the ratchet wheel near the top thereof, and a guide slot in said comb for the pawl.

2. Ribbon feeding mechanism for typewriting machines having a guide comb and pivot shaft for the key levers, said mechanism comprising a driving shaft, a ratchet wheel thereon, a universal bar frame having an upstanding arm and actuated by the rear ends of the key levers, a pawl pivoted to said arm and engaging the ratchet wheel near the top thereof, a guide slot in the comb for the pawl and a holding pawl mounted on the pivot shaft.

3. Ribbon feeding mechanism for typewi'ting machines comprising a driving shaft, a ratchet wheel thereon, a substantially horizontal universal bar frame having a rear transverse bar and an upright arm, a pawl pivoted to the upper end of said arm and engaging the ratchet wheel near the top thereof, guiding means for said pawl, and a holding pawl also positioned by said guiding means.

s'. Ribbon mechanism for typewritilig machines comprising a pair of brackets supported by the type segment, and ribbon spool shafts, driving shaft and reversing mechanism all carried. by the brackets.

5. Ribbon mechanism for type *riting machines comprising a pair of brackets supported by the type segment, and ribbon spool shafts, a longitudinally moveable driving shaft, means for holding it in adjusted position, and reversing mechanism all carried by the brackets.

6. Ribbon mechanism for typew 'iting machines comprising a pair of brackets supported by the type segment, a longitudinally movable driving shaft supported by said brackets, means for holding said shaft in either of its longitudinal positions, said means also carried by one of said brackets, and means on each end of the shaft for rotating the same or giving it cndwise movement. 7

7. In a typewriting machine the combination of key levers, ribbon driving mechanism comprising a ratchet wheel and a driving pawl therefor, and a single comb acting as a guide for said key levers and driving pawl.

8. In a typewriting machine the combination of key levers, ribbon driving mechanism comprising a ratchet wheel, a driving pawl and a holding pawl, and a single comb acting as a guide for said key levers, driving pawl, and holding pawl.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names.

EDWARD B. HESS. LEWIS O. MYERS. 

